Local Man Jailed for Punching Baby

Law enforcement and EMS officials responded to a residence in the 1000-block of Eldred Road in Truth or Consequences just before 11 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 12, due to a report of a suicidal male.

Documents filed in Sierra County Magistrate Court by Sheriff’s Department Corporal Joel Trejo and later obtained by The Herald describe the events that led to the arrest of 39-year-old Kenneth Vernon Wilson.

Wilson repeatedly told Corporal Trejo that he wanted to kill himself, and stated that he wanted to hurt the officer so that Trejo would kill him. When asked why, Mr. Wilson reportedly would not respond.

EMS personnel from Sierra Vista Hospital and Elephant Butte Fire Department were dispatched to the scene to assist in transporting Wilson to the local hospital for a mental evaluation.

Wilson repeatedly stated his desire to hurt or kill himself, adding that his girlfriend was at a mobile home across the street. Wilson would not respond when asked if he had injured anyone.

After much back and forth from Wilson, who kept changing his mind regarding going to the hospital and making several threatening movements to First Responders, Mr. Wilson agreed to go to the local hospital.

After the ambulance left, Corporal Trejo later learned that Wilson had punched his 1-1/2-year-old son in the mouth when the baby wouldn’t go to sleep and kept crying.

Wilson admitted numerous times that he “clocked him in the mouth,” according to witnesses.

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